Aircraft control



Feb. 13, 1940. J. THIRY 2,190,391

AIRCRAFT CONTROL Filed April 14 1938 Patented Feb. '13, 19

PATENT OFFICE Amcnm ooN'moL Johannes Thiry', Bcrlin-Sudende,

signor to Siemens Apparate- Germany, asund Maschinen W D Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Berlin,

Germany,

a corporation of Germany- Application April 14, 1938, Serial No. 202,049 In Germany April 16, 1937 8 Claims.

This invention relates to controlling mechanism for aircraft andparticularly to means for controlling the aircraft in a turn.

The position of an airplane in a curve is correct when the airplane takes the angle of inclined position which is determined by the speedof flight, the angular speed and the earth acceleration. Theselvalues are correlated through the equation a v other means, for instance, through a computing mechanism. The speed of flight is a value which is particular to the airplane and which eventually can beadjusted. Also the angular speed of an airplane, i. e., the speed of its rotation about the Y vertical axis, is a value which can be taken ac'- cording to the circumstances. These facts show that the determination of the correct angle of inclined position puts the attention of the pilot to a hard trial. I Thus it will be. necessary to endeavour to obtain a simplification of the device, which can be made according to the invention by providing a common adjustment member on the curve instrument for'the speed of rotation of the airplane about the vertical axis and l for the intended angle of inclined position. Furthermore, by providing between the adjustment member and the displacement device a further 9' adjustable mechanism, it is also possible to take into consideration the influence of the speed of flight with very simple means.

An embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example in the perspective view of the drawing. For'main'taining the course of the airplane, a course gyroscope I or directional base line is provided which, eventually, can be .controlled by a compass and which carries the diaphragm 2 of a bolometer on its vertical precession axis. The bolometenwires arelocated on the base 3 of the course gyroscope which can'be adjusted through a course motor 4, If a curve is to be flown, the course motor I is started and it rotates the base 3 with respect to the diaphragm 66 2 so that a steering current is provided. The

flight on a curve lasts as long as the course motor runs. The switch for the course motor is designated by 5.' The adjustment of the speed of the course motor is obtained by means of a resistor 6 controlled-by contact arm I which is carried 5 by an axis 8.

Furthermore; the control device comprises a gyroscoplc horizon 9 the horizontal precession axes of which are connected in a known manner to bolometric diaphragms l0 and II. In corre- 10 lation with the present invention, the only interesting device is the bolometric control H the wires of which are carried by thebase l2 for the inclined position. When the base I2 is adjusted with respect to the diaphragm ll, thena diflerential current proportional to the desired bank of the craft and serving for the control of the transverseinclination of the craft is produced in the same manner as the control of the A, course by parts 2 and 3; Now, according to the invention, the adjustment of the base 3 .and the adjustment of the base l2 are provided by a single control member l3 which controls the position of the resistor arm I. as well as of the rod l5 and thus of the base l2 through the 2d toothed segment l4. Thus, with this arrangement, it is not necessary for the pilot to effect a plurality of separate control manipulations; on the contrary, it is suflicient for him toefiect, by means of the .handle' l3, airotation of the 'toothed segment I! for a predetermined angle in order to bring the airplane to the correct inclined position in the curve. If it is also necessary to take into consideration the speed of the airplane, this is possible, for instance, by the fact that the end iii of the rod I5 is caused to slide in a slot I! which is graduated for indieating the various speeds. Of course, it is possible to replace themanual control of the speed by an automatically operating device.

What I claim is:

1. In a control device for'aircraft, the combination with directional and horizon gyroscopes and control elements therefor, of means operable at will for continually and simultaneously shifting the relative positions of said control elements -,to' cause turning and banking of the craft, and

means for modifying the relative proportions of said shifting in proportion. to the speed of the craft.

2. A control device for aircraft comprising a directional base line, pick-01f meanscontrolled by said base line, means responsive to bank of said craft, pick-oil means controlled by said bank responsive means, manually operable means having a mechanical advantage connected to said base line and said bank responsive means whereby all of said pick-off means are controlled simultaneously, and-means for varying said mechanical advantage whereby the control of said pick-off means is varied in proportion to the speed of the craft.

3. A control device for aircraft comprising a directional base line and bank responsive means, 'manuallyoperable control means connected to said directional base line and to said bank responsive means for simultaneous control thereof, means for distributing the effect of said manual control in a desired ratio between said base line and said bank responsive means, and: means whereby said ratio .or distribution may be altered whereby the attitude of said craft on a curve is properly maintained with respect to the rate of ..turn, banking and speed of said craft.

4. A control device for aircraft comprising a directional gyroscope, pick-01f means controlled by said gyroscope, means including an electrical circuit and a variable resistor for controlling said pick-on means, an artificial horizon, pick-off means controlled by the bank indication of said horizon, lever means controlling the position of said pick-oil means, manually operable means for simultaneously controlling said resistor and the movement of said lever means, and means forvarying the effective leverage of said lever means whereby the setting of the bank indication pick-off may be modified in'proportion to the speed of the craft.

5. A control device for aircraft or the like comprising azimuth and bank control devices,

the variation of madam and a single manually operable means for siturning of said craft are simultaneously and proportionally controlled. e

6. A control device for aircraft or the like comprising directional and horizon gyroscopes and control elements therefor, and a single means manually operable for and proportionally shifting the relative positions of said control elements to cause proportional of the craft. v

\7.A control device for aircraft or thelike comprising a directional gyroscope and an artiiicial horizon and control elements therefor, a-

manually operable element, means connected to said element for controlling said horizon whereby the banking of said craft is controlled, and means simultaneously and proportionally continuously operable by said same manually operable element for actuating the control element of said directional gyroscope for controlling the turning of said craft.

8. A control device for aircraft or the like comprising a directional base line, pick-ofl means controlled by said base line, means responsive to bank of said craft, pick-oil means controlled by said bank responsive means, and a manually operable member connected to both said base line and said bank responsive meansfor simultaneously' and proportionally operating the same whereby all of said pick-offs are simultaneously and proportionally controlled.

JOHANNES THIRY.

. multaneously and proportionally controlling said devices whereby the banking and turningand banking 

